Youngen lead a discussion with the committee of the work of the recently-charged Task Force on Subject Specialist Roles and Responsibilities. Committee members shared ideas about issues that the Task Force should consider, e.g., equity in the assignment of subject areas and the impact that a greater scope of subject responsibility might have on one’s ability to pursue the full scope of subject specialist responsibilities described in documents such as those Youngen introduced as informative models (Duke University, University of Minnesota). The Task Force is charged with delivering its report and recommendations to the Executive Committee by December 2011.

5. Services for Graduate Students (Lenkart)

Lenkart raised questions regarding the scope of services aimed at graduate students and the degree to which graduate students across campus are aware of Library services and resources. Walter noted the existence of the “Services for Graduate Students” page www.library.illinois.edu/learn/gradstudents.html , and the collaboration between the Library and the Graduate College spearheaded by the Reference, Research, and Scholarly Services program, e.g., Savvy Researcher www.library.illinois.edu/sc/services/savvy_researcher.html. Committee members noted the decentralized nature of graduate education at Illinois and the critical role of the subject specialist in communicating with graduate students regarding Library collections and services (see previous discussion item). Committee members discussed a “survey of graduate student services” across the Library as a potential project for the upcoming year, and Walter will add this as an agenda item at the next Administrative Council meeting as a means of beginning a discussion of this issue in the Divisions.